Signor of one-half to almost c



(No Model.)

A. H. S. DAVIS. OAROOUPLING ATTACHMENT.

No. 437,644. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY-S.

UNITED Y STATES? PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER H. S. DAVIS, on WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AS-

SIGNOR oE ONE-HALF TO ALMON 0. BROWN, oE MINNEAPOLIS, MIN- N ESOTA.

CAR-COUPLING ATTACHMENT;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,644, dated September 30, 1890.

Application filed $eptemhei 6, 1890- $erial No. 364,142. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER H. S. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States. residing at I/Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in OarOoupling Attachments; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. My invention relates to improvements in automatic car-coupling attachments for drawheads now in general use.

The object of the invention is to provide cars already fitted with link-and-pin couplings with an attachment whereby the coupling maybe automatic Without changing the drawheads or the links, and which may be used interchangeably with or without the attachment, and thus utilize the present couplings, and, moreover, without involving the necessity of a change in the means and method of coupling, asis usually the case.

The invention consists in the combination, with an ordinary draw-head, of a link lifter or support adjustable to different planes or angles, so that the link may be held in a horizontal position or inclined in either direction a the right or left, as may be required to direct it to the'mou'th of another draw-head. This is necessary when loaded cars are to be coupled with light or unloaded cars, as Well as when cars of difierent makes and heights are to be connected together, and when the draw-heads are laterally out of line with each other.

The invention also consists in the combination, with a draw-head movable with relation to the car, of a coupling-pin having a notch or shoulder, a loose catch or latch mounted on the draw-head for holding the pin in its raised position, and an abutment or stop immovable with relation to the ear for disconnecting the latch from the notch or shoulder of the pin upon the inward movement of the draw-head when the cars meet each other and the coupling is effected.

The invention also consists in other combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of adjacent draw-heads with the attachments applied irf'position to be automatlcally coupled upon bringing said draW- heads together. Fig. 3 is an end elevation with the coupling-pin raised in readiness for the free end of thelink. Fig.4is an inverted plan of a draw-head and adjacent parts of a car with my improvements attached. Fig. 5 is a plan showing the top plate and catch for holding the pin in its raised position. Fig. 6 is a perspective of the bottom plate andits pendant or bracket for supporting the link-lifter. Fig. 7 is a perspective of the link-lifter arm. Fig. 8 is a perspective of a bracket for supporting one end of the lifter-arm; and Fig. 9 is a perspective, on an enlarged scale, of a second or modified form of the invention.

A is an ordinary draw-bar head. which for brevity is called throughout this specification draw-head.

B and B are clamping-plates of cast or forged metal fitted to the upper and lower sides of the draw-head, and secured in any suitable way, as by bolts b b. These plates are by preference provided with lugs or bosses b b to fit the depressions in the surface of the draw-head in order to obtain as perfect a fit as practicable, and thereby secure them firmly in place without liability of their becoming loose. In addltion to this, a countersink may be formed around the pin-hole and a corresponding boss on the plate B and B to fit therein. The inside surfaces of these plates will be varied to fit the surfaces of dif- 5 ferent types of draw-heads.

O is a pendant or bracket attachment of the bottom plate B, as shown. This pendant forms a loop or slot 0, and is provided with notches c for supporting the linkslifter, to be' described.

D is a bracket provided with groove 61 and slots d d. This bracket is shown as attached to bolsters A A alongside of the draw-head on the under side of the car-body; but obviously it may be mounted on any suitable support.

D is a loose arm in the form shown in Fig. 7, hung by a cross-head d in the slots d, so as to slide freely therein This arm has lips or flanges (1 extending a short distance along its sides, which are adapted to interlock with the notches c of the pendant O. The position of these lips is such that when the arm is pushed so that its cross-head is at the inn'r extremity of the slots 01 said arm will drop or swing downward in. the slot 0, and upon drawing the arm outward and raising it the lips (1 will engage with one or another of the notches c. In this last position the cross part d of the arm whose upper surface is notched or corrugated will support the coupling-link in a horizontal, angular, or inclined position, as may be desired, the series of notches affording means for adjusting the support and the link in the proper plane or at the proper angle for connection with cars of different heights or whose draw-heads are in different vertical planes.

H is a coupling-pin, preferably made of a staple of inverted-U shape, one of the legs being somewhat longer than that which engages the link. One leg of this "pin is provided with a notch or shoulder h, as shown in Fig. 2. Mounted loosely on thetop plate B is a catch it for engaging the notch or shoulder h of the pin. This catch has a head h projecting beyond the plate, and when the draw-head is driven inward by the impact of the other draw-head in the act of coupling the catch is operated by coming in contact with the end of the car or some permanent attachment thereof, and the coupling-pin is released and drops by gravity through the link, and thus automatically couples the cars.

Both plates B and B are perforated for the passage of thelong leg of the pin when the pin is set for automatic coupling. The short leg thereof should project into the upper wall of the draw-head to about the inner surface of the mouth thereof. When the draw-heads come together, the arm D will be driven inward, the lips d will be detached from the notches c, and the arm will drop to the bottom of the slot or loop 0, and at the same time the lips or flanges d bearing against the inclined rear surfaces of the pendant G, will carry the arm backward, so that the front face of its cross-arm will be behind the end face of the draw-head. Obviously the arm may be permitted to drop and swing loosely under the car. A bail or yoke may be used instead of the loose centrally-arranged arm D, or the arrangement of the arm and pendant alongside of the draw-head, as shown in Fig. 9, instead of beneath the same, may be adopted Without departing from my invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination of a draw-head, a link lifter arm pivoted beneath the shank. of said draw-head and within the head part thereof, and means, as a notched bracket, for supporting the arm at different heights, whereby a link is supported, substantially as described.-

ling-pin provided with a notch or shoulder, a catch without connections loosely mounted on the draw-head, and an abutment for the latch fixed with relation to the body of the car, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a draw-head, a sta ple-shaped coupling-pin having a notch or shoulder, a loosely-sliding catch mounted on the draw-head, and an abutment for operating said latch fixed with relation to the car, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a draw-head of ordi nary construction for link-and-pin coupling,

clamping-plates attached to said draw-head,

a pendant provided with shoulders or notches connected to one of said plates, and a linksupporting arm mounted to swing and slide into and out of engagementwith the notched pendant, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a draw-head adapted I 4. The combination of a draw-head, a coupfor link-and-pin coupling, clamping-plates attached to said draw-head, a pendant connected to one of the clamping-plates having a closed slot or loop provided with shoulders or notches, and a link-supporting arm mounted to swing and slide into and out of engagement with the notched pendant and to be supported at its free end within the loop when not in use,- substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER H. S. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

WM. M. STOCKBRIDGE, ALMON 0. BROWN. 

